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FrancoAngeli Journals

Articoli

N. 2 (2025)

Youth Political Participation and Critical Consciousness: Exploring Pathways to Emancipation

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3280/erpoa2-2025oa20500
Inviata
30 giugno 2025
Pubblicato
23-10-2026

Abstract

This contribution, drawing on Paulo Freire’s theory of conscientisation, explores how young people critically engage with political structures, confront marginalisation, and develop emancipatory awareness within democratic processes. Employing a qualitative, phenomenological approach, this study analyses data from in-depth online interviews with young members of European youth organisations. The research highlights that young people experience structural marginalisation within political systems, often finding their voices undervalued in decision-making processes. Some participants described personal experiences of injustice as catalysts for their political engagement, while others developed critical awareness through exposure to structural inequalities. The findings reveal that critical consciousness does not emerge spontaneously but is driven by personal and collective motivations and sustained through structured opportunities for reflection and action. By examining these dynamics, this study explores the relationship between youth activism and critical consciousness, showing how engagement in activism enables young people not only to contest injustice but also to critically analyse power structures and recognise their role within them. Rather than viewing youth-led activism as a peripheral mode of participation, this contribution underscores its significance as a key space where young people cultivate critical awareness, connect personal experiences to broader social structures, and engage in transformative action.

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